Cities Quote by Henry Miller
“New York! The white prisons, the sidewalks swarming with maggots, the breadlines, the opium joints that are built like palaces, the kikes that are there, the lepers, the thugs, and above all, the ennui, the monotony of faces, streets, legs, houses, skyscrapers, meals, posters, jobs, crimes, loves... A whole city erected over a hollow pit of nothingness. Meaningless. Absolute meaningless.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: Tropic of Cancer, Henry Miller, 1934
Miller portrays New York as a bleak, meaningless urban landscape filled with decay and ennui.
In simple terms: New York is depicted as empty and meaningless.
Key Takeaway
Recognize emptiness and seek deeper purpose.
Themes
urban decay
nihilism
alienation
despair
meaninglessness
Mood
cynical
melancholic
critical
Type
observational
critical
When to use this quote
- daily commute
- nightlife
- poverty
- drug use
- social observation
Key Concepts
existentialism
social critique
urbanism
Questions to Reflect On
- What aspects of city life give you hope?
- How does personal perception shape urban experience?
A Different Perspective
The description may overgeneralize and ignore the city's vibrancy and resilience.
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